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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. N. DUNCAN.

TENT.

No. 481,014. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 2,

G. N. DUNCAN. TENT. No. 481,014. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

F5- 3 JV 0 Q J J I J J 4 H) MI .f""" 0 I I W m my I \EKJDESEEE UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE N. DUNCAN, OF GREENW'ICH, MASSACHUSETTS.

TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,014, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed January 16, 1892. Serial No. 418,246. (No model.)

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE N.-DUNOAN, of Greenwich, in the county ofHampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tents, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in tents for lawns and other purposes,the object being to secure strength to resist storms and to insureabundant height internally or along the marginal walls, and to produce amore ornamental tent than those heretofore known.

A peculiar feature of my tent is a tripodframe composed of threeconverging bars or timbers united at the top and together supporting theentire frame. There is no center pole, but these three frame-bars restat theirlower ends on or in the ground at equidistant points in thevertical plane of the tent-walls and are secured to each other by meansof a cap or socket plate common to them all, and they are preferablyjointed about midway of their length and there furnished with a hook andstaple or like fastening to give rigidity or stiffness. Bythisconstruction the framebars run not direct from end to end, but extendnearly vertically and then nearly horizontally, or approximately so, soas to give a good height near the side walls for persons standing Withinthe tent. I do not, however, limit my claims to the jointed tripod-framebars, since they may be integral and continuous. With this tripod-frameI provide a series of ribs for support of the top of the tent fabric,such ribs radiating from the socket-plate at the apex and supported atthe outer ends by uprights or vertical posts or by oblique braces, suchposts and braces being hooked at the top to said ribs and at the bottomhinged to the lower ends of the tripod-frame bars, which are pinned orfirmly held to the earth. This construction is well adapted to tents ofhexagon form, in which two of the radiating ribs meet and are outwardlysupported by the two oblique braces hinged to the foot of each of thetripod-frame bars. Said braces are not inclined toward the vertical axisof the tent, but are in vertical planes relative thereto, althoughdiverging from each other as they rise, thus giving vertical side wallsto the tent, with the tent-top in triangular segments. VVhena nine-sidedtent is desired, as in the drawings appended hereto, three additionalribs are introduced, extending outwardly over the tripod-frame bars andsupported by vertical posts erected between each pair of oblique braces.By varying the lengths of the ribs the external shape of the tent may begreatly changed without the addition of any parts. The ends of the ribswill usually be connected horizontally by stout cords or webbing bands.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the tent-frame seen from within,looking upwardly. Fig. 2 is a side View of the frame, showing theposition of the several parts. Fig. 3 is anelevation of the tentcomplete with its fabric top and vertical sides. Fig. 4 is an enlargedvertical section through the socketplate, and Fig. 5 a detail bottomView of part of said plate. Figs. 6 and 7 represent connections for thebottom and top ends of the posts and braces. Fig. 8 illustrates asupport for the fabric side walls by hooks and webbing bands.

A B 0 represent the three main frame-bars, which, united at the top andspreadtriangularly at the foot, constitute the tripod-frame, which formsan efficient support for the tent. These three frame-bars may becontinuous or unbroken timbers, as represented in Fig. 1; but in orderto make the tent more roomy, or, in other words, to free its interiorfrom the obstruction of timbers extending direct from the apex, I preferto form a joint midway and furnish the parts with a hook and staple orother stiffening device, so that the frame-bars may be deflectedupwardly in their interme diate portion and held fast, with spacebetween them for persons to walk erect. This joint is illustrated inFig. 2, the hinges D being on the outer face of the parts of the bar,the ends of the bar beveled to fit smoothly, and the hook E uniting themsecurely.

F F are ribs or stretchers radiating from the apex of the tent, wherethey are severally secured to a central socket-plate G, preferably byinsertion of their ends between vertical flanges formed on said plate,as in the detail, Figs. 4 and 5, and by pins or rivets through them.This plate serves also as the means of connection of the three membersof the tripod-frame, as shown the same figures.

H H are oblique braces extending from the foot of each of the frame-barsA, B, or O to the outer ends of the radiating ribs F, which ends theysupport in a position each side of one of said frame-bars. Between thesediverging braces H vertical posts or braces J may be erected, supportingadditional ribs F. The several braces are united at foot to theframe-bar A, B, or O by a plate I and hinges t or otherwise and at topto the several ribs F by pins f.

The outer extremities of the ribs F will be connected by lighthorizontal strips K of Wood or by webbing bands or continuous cords, soas to support the tent fabiic against sagging and to maintain itssymmetry, The side curtains or walls L of the tent may be connected tothese strips by simple hooks M, as in Fig. 8. The canopy-top N restsupon the radiating ribs F and may have a depending marginal fiounce O asan edge finish when the side walls are detached.

The oblique braces add greatly to the strength or stiffness of thetent-frame and they give a broad and high entrance from any side of thetent, as broad at top as the space between the outer ends of theradiating ribs and much broader below and as high as may be desired,determined by the length of the several braces. The efiect of the tentproperly erected on a lawn is Very picturesque.

I claim as my invention 1. In a tent, the tripod-frame composed of thethree bars A B C, joined together at the apex, spread triangularly andsecured to the earth at the foot, in combination with the canopy-top,the ribs or stretchers radiating from the apex of the frame-bars, andthe braces extending from the foot of the spread frame-bars to the outerends of the stretchers or ribs, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tent, the tripod-frame bars A B C, united at top by thesocket-plate G, in combination with the ribs or stretchers F, connectedto and radiating from said plate, and with the supporting and stiffeningbraces H secured to said ribs and to the foot of the frame-bars,substantially as set forth.

3. In a tent, the radiating ribs and marginal braces described,incombination with the tripod-frame bars A B 0, connected at top to saidribs and at bottom to said braces and eachmade in two connected parts,deflected upwardly and secured firmly at the joint, whereby increasedheight is insured beneath the central portion of said bars,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 1st day of January, A. D.1892.

GEORGE N. DUNCAN. Witnesses:

HENRY 13. I'IODGKIN, WILLIAM II. WALKER.

